This site will point you to places you've never been to before.
You'll also be introduced to films (ratings from 1- 5), festivals, music, getaways travel, restaurants and much more. Commentaries and amusing anecdotes may pop up.
I really welcome your comments at the bottom of each article.
So join me on the ride into the rugged and the luxurious.
We all need to discover open borders in the world and in ourselves.
S.N.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

On August 22nd 2017, something miraculous happened in the
world. Ashley’s Restaurant landed in Montreal’s
Notre Dame de Grace neighbourhood. Arriving with it was Ayesha Gidwani, a
remarkably gifted chef whose vegetarian cuisine is tongue wagging wonderful.Together with owners Chantal and Sina, Ayesha
created a menu that has elevated vegetarian meals into Nirvana magic. Here
Asian, Indian, and a moment with Mexican flavours turn casual dining into an exciting
experience of discovery.

“When I was a child, I was always playing in my mom’s kitchen back in India. She was
a great cook, and I watched what she did.”

Since moving to Canada (2002) after a 14-year-stint as a Bollywood
costume designer, she became Montreal’s
“it” girl for vegetarian cuisine, creating veggie menus for several restaurants
– her biggest coup was as Executive Chef at Cantley Suites for six years.

“I live, breathe, walk, talk and dream about what I do. I am very
passionate about cooking and I do it from my soul. Here, at Ashley’s I have
created vegetarian and vegan options using flavour fusions from Asia, India and
beyond.”

Novice Designer Makes a Notable Impression

The Zen appeal also resonates in Ashley’s décor. Sina was responsible for
its interior design. It's hard to believe
that Ashley’s was his first design project; it’s nothing short of genius. The result is outstanding, even
daring. “I wanted to create a cozy, authentic place using the old and new,”
said Sina.Seemingly incongruous
elements – both organic and modern, blend beautifully. Its visual aesthetic
conveys an eternal feeling of serenity.

Sina went all out in the loo rooms. They’re outrageously whimsical and colourful.

Take a peek.

Menu Health in Exotic Ingredients

Never mind that the dishes come with some pretty funny names: Avo’Cuddle
toast, Umami Burger, the Bodhi Bowl or Jungli Yogi Bowl, the irony is palpably
pleasing. Each wondrous dish is composed of nature’s most coveted flavours and
ingredients. Everything is naturally grown, devoid of sugar (natural maple
syrup is used) and almost zero % gluten free. Common to almost every plate is
the extraordinary variety of different foods that go into each dish. I counted
an average of 20 different ingredients for each, including a maze of veggies,
grains, mysterious Asian and Indian roots, peppers, berries, seeds, noodles and
more. One of Ayesha’s signature sensations resides not just in the presentation
factor but the many hidden layers of differing foods that add never-ending surprise
to the eating experience of that particular dish. Herbs and one-of-a-kind Asian
dressings – served on the side are blended to perfection; the taste is
exquisite, the texture sometimes crunchy, such as in the three different
chef-inspired macro bowls. Each instantly brings a wealth of vitality and
exoticism to the name, ‘salad’. Sensually addictive and creamy gorgeous both in
taste and colour is the main dish, “From Berma with Love”. One of four
favorites and an Ashley creation, this meal consists of coconut spiced lentil
curry on konjac noodles, hash browns, roasted chick pea tofu, onions, roasted
chilli, garlic oil, smoked sweet potatoes, coriander and lemon juice. This dish
is heavenly. If you could taste love, this is it.

Eating Splendidly

My companion and I started with two salad dishes. I had the Urban Hippie
Bowl whose 20 ingredients included purple kale, pilaf quinoa with a fig, yellow
beets, kombucha dressing, roasted tumeric papaya, faro salad, roasted
chickpeas, apples crisps a smattering of nuts and pumpkin seeds and more –
topped by a big orange dollop of harissa hummus at the centre of it all. How’s
that for healthy!

What’s great about this place is vegetarians and
vegans can dine together since options are always there for family members to
choose. As a peanut-free establishment, 85% of the ingredients are also organic
including the sunflower and olive oil in the dishes.

That could account for the
totally non-greasy pan-fried leek and vegetable dumplings we ordered for
starters. I loved the house tamari and sesame sauce. We gobbled up the four on
the plate as fast as we munched away in surely the most extraordinary side dish
I have ever tasted: Mumbai Bhel.

There is nowhere else in Montreal
to find such astounding dishes that are light yet filling and oh so healthy.

Ashley's is Awesome

I could go on and on about other dishes I have eaten here; suffice it to say Ashley always has healthy surprises. Whether you’re from Montreal or Timbuktu,
you must eat here. How many times can you tell someone, you just tasted gluten-free
fava bean crust and you really really liked it? Where else can you boast about
biting into a chocolate beet brownie with organic chocolate truffle and roasted
hazelnuts?

By the way, did I mention there’s a class-A wine list and bar?

Menu prices are low. That’s another plus why the entire family can enjoy
this place, and there are weekend brunches.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Four works featuring the music of Bali putting Jose Evangelista into new territory as a
composer in the Asian mode was on the program this December 7th evening.

The concert
was prefaced with a far too-long explanation of the Gamelon (orchestra) by Pierre Paré-Blais
who also plays the instruments that we saw on stage at Montreal’s Pierre Péladeau Centre. He said
the music is based on a single melody flushed by the other clanging
instruments that seem to swirl around it faster and faster. Lovely bright red and
gold instruments glittered the stage -- strange looking musical percussive
instruments ranging from gong keybar to martenot – the latter sounding like a Wurlitzer
and synchronizer. An interesting instrument that should be heard far more than it is.

Although
the musicians were impeccable in timing and speed, after a while the pieces sounded
like a collective clanging cacophony that sadly was not as colourful as the appearance of
the instruments themselves. The one musician who held our attention with his passionate playing of
a drum-like instrument was I Dewa Made Suparta. He is director of the entire orchestra.

The performance needed costumes and showmanship. The three dancers save, for one who looked like
a lost misfit towering awkwardly over the others who were Asian -- did not help
this dance ensemble in look; nor did this trio inspire us, but the two other
dancers would have -- without the gawky one. She looked about as Balinese as a
giraffe trying to hide among cats. I did not feel transported to Bali during this concert. Though it was lackluster, the instrument playing was expert
indeed.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

I bought through
Booking.com a two- night stay at Myrto Hotel (note that sometimes it’s called
Myrtos) God forbid there might be two of these hellish hotels.

Judging by
the photo of the room on Booking.com, I was supposed to get a double size
budget one, I thought things would be okay.

Never judge
a hotel by its Booking.com cover photo - or at least in this case. The room was
so tiny, my rather small suitcase was not able to fit in it. The bed was so
small with no room to get out of it except if you wanted to bang your legs
against the side wall. There was no space at its end, or sides or head. There was just a shelf at its end with a small noisy fridge on it; no place to put your clothes; no place to move to get into the bed or out of it. And by the way no window as it
shows in the photo. No side table except a tiny gnome size-one -- not big
enough to put my small laptop on. The plug sparked and damaged my mouse. There was no hot water except if I wanted to
wait an hour before the boiler would work to make it hot. That’s what the kids
downstairs running the hotel told me. Now these kids were nice and tried to
help as much as possible, but how do you put a broken hotel back together?

These
downstairs folks were young, very nice but there was no manager on site. Oh by
the way, the elevator sounded like an airplane about to take off. It was so
loud and groaning all night long I could not sleep at all.

Worse still,
when I asked to change rooms there was no manager around at all or ever.

Breakfast on
Booking.com looks yummy. Well, old cornflakes cold coffee and sticky white yogurt
was there. I had placed my coffee cup on the wood table whose top instantly
toppled, flipping sideways into a 90- degree angle, thereby spilling my stale
coffee with the cup landing on the floor. This was becoming the Twilight Zone.
I felt unsafe.

I left the hotel at 1 am the second night and
slept at the airport to catch my 7:30 morning flight back home

I now know
why the Russian owners were never in sight. They were back home drinking vodka
no doubt and laughing all the way to the bank while we poor helpless Myrtos Hotel
victims were feeling like we had landed in a hovel of horrors. No one can walk
in off the street and book a room at this hotel. You have to go through
Booking.com. get the money before they
see it is their modus operandi.

Shame on
Booking .com for not investigating this hotel and using false photos to get
clients to book at this shabby hotel – one
that I would not even put Norman Bates in!

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Laetitia Dosch stars as a young woman who has
been jilted by her photographer boyfriend. She lives in Paris, and hates it. She mooches off others,
even gets a job as a nanny which doesn't work out for the mother in the end.
She drifts but finally lands a job in a lady’s undergarment and nightwear high
end store. She gets pregnant by her ex-boyfriend but refuses to take him back.
Instead, she ends up with a store worker who seems like a better man than the
crud she had as a boyfriend. Good acting can’t save this first feature film by
the director whose unoriginal plot downplays the ugly truth about being lost
and marginalized in a society that does not care. Screened at Montréal’s 2017 Cinemania
Festival.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The loon
calls at the end of this documentary were the only moving effect in this pretentious
film where different groups of friends and family gather at different spots on
a lovely river that seems to symbolize life’s flowing currents. There is a group
of women who talk about their feelings of motherhood; two men who contemplate
depression and death, young boys jumping in the river, one fly fisherwoman, a
couple – she loves him; he is more into other things.

This film is so ridiculously unrealistic. Do
people in nature truly wax philosophical for 20 minutes with each other. Not once,
did anyone ask: “So how are you? What’s happening in your life? Peopledo not listen
to head speak about life in such surroundings, other than in a life coaching
class or in a university

Thursday, November 9, 2017

There are hotels, and then there are those that
surpass the highest of expectations; they attain perfection. This is one such
hotel. Nancy Snipper

Set
among lush gardens on a lofty hill overlooking eastern Crete’s magnificent MarabelloBay,
St.NicolasBay and Resort Hotel is renowned for
its breathtaking panoramic view. Close
to ten acres (40,000 square metres) of property steeped in luminous natural
beauty mesmerise – starting with the hotel’s private pristine sandy cove beach, made more remarkable by huge flat-bed rocks for relaxing, perched just above
the sea – well deserving of its Blue Flag E.U. status. The property stretches beyond to reveal a natural variety of vistas and villas.

Inspirational scenes beckon the guest and the bather.

Stone and marble merge into the
boundless blue of sea, sky, and swimming pools.

A signature centre piece is the enormous
salt-water pool.

If you book one of the waterfront luxury Thalassa Villas
(there are eight of them), you’ll have your own heated one!Reserve a villa for your family or go for its
romantic appeal. Not surprisingly, weddings are held here.

Outdoor/Indoor
Mediterranean Splendour

Winner
of the world’s most prestigious awards for hospitality excellence, this Trip
Advisor top-star hotel has garnered so many kudos, it outranks most that strive
to emulate it.

Grounds are gorgeously enhanced by a series
of beguiling indoor architectural features and objects that bring to life elements of Greek
antiquity. Such impeccable taste attracts the discerning traveller in need of
calm surroundings cocooned in authentic Cretan elegance.

Started in 1988, St.NicolasBay and Resort Hotel is owned and built
by the

visionary Cretan architect, George D.
Alexandrakis. Highly artistic, Mr. Alexandrakis has designed an array of wall
fixtures, lamps, mirrors and handicraft which enhance the hotel. A genius for
creating unique furniture as well, each room demonstrates his passion for
design originality. Functional, visually appealing and clever, many objects you
see are a product of his own brilliant imagination.

“George
always wanted to create a hotel having all the elements of a Cretan nobleman’s
home with soul, elegance and style,” said head manager, Costas S. Zarbalas
who’s been with the hotel for 30 years.
“We want to fulfill people’s holiday dreams, so we work as a caring
sincere team (over 165 staff members).
We give personable attention to their wishes; this is a small size hotel
so we accomplish every guest’s expectations for a perfect holiday.”

The harmonization of traditional Greek
architecture with contemporary chic is its signature style. Upscale rooms – all
107 of them – are stunningly appointed. An exquisite blend of different
textures and creamy hues put the tranquility of the Aegean
Sea right next to you. If Aphrodite were mortal, she surely would
have settled here!

Room
Variety with Sea Views

Although
there are over 100 rooms, each seems to be an island on its own. In fact, you’d
be hard pressed to hear or even see your neighbour, as the hotel is constructed
to ensure serenity and privacy.

There are several types of rooms – each with its own
distinct layout. Most offer sea views.
Rooms range in size from 30 square metres to 160 square metres, such as
the two villas within the Club Collection. Their terraces alone are 90 square
metres and the pool is 30 square metres. No matter the size, all rooms have
marble bathrooms, bathrobes, big thick beach and bath towels, slippers, luxury
toiletries, a Nespresso coffee machine, fridge and of course WIFI, movies, multiple language TV channels, telephone and
air-conditioning. Some sport designer couches with lots of pillows.

There’s no lack of choice: from studio and one bedrooms to
two and three bedrooms with lovely layouts. There are six different kinds of
rooms within the Classic Collection: Junior, Deluxe and Executive suites. Most
come with Jacuzzis, two balconies or one huge one. Twenty-three private pools
are there to enjoy in some deluxe suites and in the exclusive Club Collection.
Many have ensuite bathrooms and all kinds of state-of-the-art amenities with VIP
extras.

The Aphrodite House
even has a remote control that opens up the in your bedroom to reveal a
spectacular sea view right in front of you.

My own private
pool in the Classic Executive Suite. The view was captivating.

I felt like a Minoan princess (without the regal attire!)

The trick to ordering
your room depends on your requests. Do you want a garden view, sea view; how
many bedrooms; do you want a private pool, Jacuzzi, two balconies? Order your preferences and priorities; make
your bucket list, and the reservations department will grant what you request.
Bear in mind, that price varies depending on room type and the season. I saw
several rooms. All displayed an understated sophistication that exuded
distinctive allure.

Visit the website at the end of this feature to obtain more detailed information.

Eating
like a Minoan Princess

Five
great areas for eating Greek and international cuisine are located in scenic
areas of the hotel. My first night of arrival, I ate in the Greek Kafenion
whose specialties include all kinds of Greek fish, pasta and meats. I found
this meal to be a delightful first-night indulgence.

Two bouzouki players set
the mood for taste enjoyment.

Everything is cooked fresh at the hotel, and all
produce comes from the area. For my
appetizer, I had a delicious seafood salad of greens, locally grown olives,
mussels and huge pieces of jumbo shrimp. It was excellent. My main course was a wonderful slow-cook
oven-roasted veal dish whose huge tender pieces were flavored in tomato sauce,
and pepper with Hilopites pasta surrounding it all. Wine was a 2010 red wine
from Nemea. My dessert was a startling
affair. Service was of the highest
quality.

Breakfast…
Beyond Believable!

Served
in the Club House Restaurant indoors or on the sea-view terrace, breakfast is an exorbitant feast. Guests can
either sit on the terrace overlooking the sea or inside where all the food is
presented on 12 long tables beautifully set with fine linen table cloths. The
buffet is laden with countless classic Cretan and international dishes which
delight the senses. Ten hot servers for
meats and cheese pies form part of this fabulous morning feast. I loved the various sheep and cow’s milk
yoghurt of different fat percentage. The grape mousse cinnamon pudding called moustalevri was my addictive
discovery. You have the choice of Gluten free and lactose intolerance dishes as
part of their health-conscious cuisine. Meat, fresh fruit, Cretan cheeses,
cereals, a yummy creamy vanilla pudding, and the list goes on. Cretan olives – five different kinds,
including Tsakistes and Throubes were a delight to sample as was the smoked
pork. Figs, dates, all kinds of dried fruit, even goji berries. Jams, purees,
Greek marmalades – home-made of course – like everything else – decks out more banquet
tables. Incredible Cretan creamy desserts and strudels to satisfy the sweet
tooth have tongue-watering palette appeal. Typically, they have their own
table, and it’s a popular one! You can
enjoy all this, and also order from the à la carte menu which offers omelettes,
crepes, pancakes and more yummy morning goodies?

Later
on, take time to relax,

to eat and imbibe in other areas. Night-time at the Greek Kafenion Restaurant

Astra Bar strides a
lovely pool; then take a step inside the Minotaure Restaurant which specializes in sushi and Far
Eastern cuisine. The BlueBay has a Japanese menu
along with grilled fare, savoury Greek food, pasta and salads. Discover them all. Variety is the spice of
life, so indulge in all of them. That’s part of the fun.

Prior to my treatments, I enjoyed a scented hot vapor room.
I did not have time to take a swim in the beautifully heated pool that
alleviates pain, but I would return.

The setting for my treatments was incomparable. The sea at my side, two demure trees swaying
in the wind and tiny rock island
poking up. The view was sublime. I was already relaxed.

My expert therapist Helen suggested I have the spa’s
Signature deep tissue back massage which uses Cretan bees wax and ointments. I
could hardly wait. Using her forearms to swiftly move along my spine and loosen
knots, Helen found areas of tension I did not know existed. This novel forearm
technique created a smooth rubbing sensation on my back; knots were soon
loosened.

After
my back massage, Helen gave me an Easy Going Facial – specifically the Fleurs
de Bali 30’. Helen used products from France’s Cinq
Mondes line. They are completely natural and feel gloriously light on the skin,
yet the result is astounding. I could
not believe how my skin was transformed in just over an hour. This particular facial had several steps:
cleansing, spraying flower rain tonic, doing an exfoliation, and next – a mask
accompanied by Helen doing a scalp massage.

Applying a deep nourishing elixir
for my dry skin (there are five to choose from).And finally, the Serum of
Youth. All worked their combined magic; my skin’s leathery look was no more.
Instead I saw a clear, bright and radiant sheen of youth. My skin felt like silk. I wanted it to last
forever.

St.
Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel is a utopia; linger all day or get active at the quiet
beach by partaking in the waterfront activities there. Canoe around, paddle
board jet ski or/and be taken in the
speedboat to the nearby church-topped island with cri-cri (Cretan goats).

If you
want to explore beyond this paradise, here are some suggestions:

Aghia Nicolaos: Just
over 1.5 km away from the hotel, Aghia Nicolaos is a trendy touristy city. More
like a big town, it has an array of both exclusive and souvenir shops that wind
around the enchanting waterfront. Picturesque with its own history, this
seaside summer resort has its own archaeology museum.

Spinalonga:
take the bus, or taxi to nearby Elounda or Plaka, to boat over to this deserted
island of 16th-century stone walls that once quarantined lepers from
Crete and the rest of Greece in the
early 20th-century until 1957. Interesting but bucolic, there is an
unmistakable melancholy in the atmosphere. Join a guided tour to get all historical
details.

If you rent a car, get lost along the coastal
road, and enjoy the spectacularly high mountains on one side, and cozy bays of
perfect blue that beckon. Kayaking and
all kinds of sports, you can find in town, but some of these activities, you
can do directly from the hotel. Here’s
the website again: www.stnicolasbay.gr.

To Order SN's books:

email: nansnipper@gmail.comor through Amazon (kindle)

S.N. writer, poet and musician

A bit and a lot about S.N.

An international award-winning travel journalist, S.N. has written features for over 50 publications – many translated into French, Spanish and Greek. Her children’s book Les 5 Sens en Folie was nominated for a Mr. Christie Award, and her poetry/short storycollection,Beyond the dream: Epic Solitude received praise from CBC Radioand the international film producer, A. J. Virmani.S.N. holds 4 university degrees (Deans list), and is a classical pianist and songwriter with 3Cds out. An intrepid traveler, who has done archaeology in Greece, worked as a journalist there, acted professionally in its amphitheatres, and interviewed prominent artists from the country, S.N. looks forward to sharing her reviews and adventures with readers. She writes honestly and with wit. Her recent novel, Floating on Lily Pads made headlines on radio and TV.

FLOATING ON LILY PADS

SN's new novel is sure to thrill you. You can purchase it on Kindle or leave your request in any comment box.